WDQN: I will miss you

by Steve Dunford 

The studio of WDQN , from the station’s Facebook page. The station was located on the north edge of DuQuoin in the village of St. Johns

Radio station, WDQN in DuQuoin , 1580 on the AM dial, left the airwaves this evening.

When I lived in Sesser, I used to enjoy their format, when it was simulcast on the 95.9 FM frequency.  I could pick the station up in at least a 30 mile range.  They boasted of the top 80 format; Top 40 country, and top 40 on the pop charts, with some classic tunes of both genres mixing in.    They still had local and national news at the top of the hour.

A few years back, Three Angels Broadcasting, out of Thompsonville purchased the FM frequency.

When I was the  pastor of the East Side Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, I would listen to a lot of NASCAR races on the way home from church.  I would occasionally catch yes, the Chicago Cubs at times.  This ol’ Cardinal fan enjoyed listening to the late Ron Santo call a game.

I would follow the DuQuoin Indians making their playoff runs in football and Indians basketball from time to time.

I think I have established that high school sports means a lot to me. Each play by play man in each community is the face of high school sports. The face of the DuQuoin Indians for me was Steve Marek.

I hope an online streaming service, another station, or as long time morning man Dave Juhl was pleading on Facebook Live, someone buy the station.

There will be a huge hole in the local media.  It was the only radio station in Perry County.  It was an affilliate of the Illinois News Network, and delivered commodity reports.

From a lifelong resident of Franklin County,  I will miss you.